The red diesel fiasco continues with Belgium pushing back, stating they will fine UK boaters with red diesel in their tanks.
In response to one of our forum users posts, Serge Dickschen, a counsellor at the Belgium embassy in London said,”I have to confirm that Belgium will indeed continue to fine pleasure vessels using dyed diesel”.
The issue of red diesel has been bugging boaters and the EU for years, and at the end of 2006 Belgium removed the exemption for pleasure vessels to have discounted diesel to ‘be in conformity with EU legislation’ and have since tried to force us to catch up.
In reality it means Belgium boaters won’t be able to refuel during a UK visit, and UK boaters are unable to go to Belgium, isolating them as a cruising destination.
For our full report, read the March 2012 issue of MBM.
